Clip for fastening pieces of material



Aug. 7, 1951 w, SCHAFR TH 2,563,426

cu FOR FASTENING PIECES OF MATERIAL TOGETHER Filed Aug. "5. 1949INVENTOR. h/mum fcmrnor l Patented Aug. 7, 1 951- CLIP FOR FASTENINGPIECES OF MATERIAL TOGETHER Werner Schafroth, Havertown, Pa.

Application August 5, 1949, Serial No. 108,846.

8 Claims.

The present invent-ion deals with clips that are employed for thepurpose of joining pieces of material together and is concernedprimarily with improvements in a clip that is designed to join suchelements as the flap; of a carton.

In the copending application of Werner Schairoth, filed June 10, 19%8,Serial Number 32,125, entitled Clip for Fastening Sections and/or Layersof Material, there is illustrated and. described a clip of the generaltype which is in-- tended to be improved by this invention.

In order to explain the exact nature of the improvements of the presentinvention and the advantages afforded thereby, it is necessary to referto certain salient features of construction of the clip of saidapplication,

Each clip is of an elongated rectangular formation and the clips areprovided in a continuous strip being joined together by a small neck ortab located centrally of the clip and which is severed when. a clip isstruck from the strip.

Each clip comprises a main body portion which is cut away to define legsor struts that are bent downwardly into positions substantially normalto the main body portion. Each of these legs is integrally joined to themain body portion of the clip by a bend of the metal which is of acurved. formation prov. ing a curvature or a shallow curve-likestructure in that portion of each leg adjacent to the main body portion.Each of these legs is formed with diagonal slots which enter thereintofrom the sides and which define points or tangs. Adjacent each end eachclip is formed with an opening that takes the form or an elongated slotand through which a bending tool is adapted to pass after the legs havepenetrated the pieces of material which are to be joined to that pointwhere the underface of the main body portion engages the upper surfaceof these pieces of material. The bending tools are driven downwardly andengage the points or tangs to bend the lower portion of each leg into aposition which is substantially parallel to that of the main bodyportion. That is,

the lower portion of each leg is bent into the 1 form of the head of a Twith the stem being constituted by the curved upper portion of the leg.

When a clip having the general characteristics above outlined is usedunder practical conditions, certain undesirable factors develop whichare intended to be overcome by this invention. As above outlined, theclips are joined in the magazine strip by a small neck or tab of metalwhich must be severed when a clip is struck therefrom for use. Thissevering action creates a small burr which is present on the exposedfaces of a carton which may be closed by the clips. Obviously, suchburrs constitute a menace for subsequent handling of the cartons andthere is great danger of scratching the hands of the 2 person handlingthe carton. One of the important objects of the invention is toeliminate the possibility of the formation of such a burr on anythingthat would be comparable thereto.

From the practical viewpoint, it is necessary to manufacture these clipsin long continuous strips. This means that they must be handled asstrips up to the time each individual clip is severed and driven. Withadjacent clips being joined only by a central tab or neck there is atendency for the clips to float or weave during the variousmanufacturing and handling steps. Another highly important object of theinvention is to eliminate this floating and weaving and to provide a.strip of the clips which will positively remain in accurate alignment upto the point where a clip is struck therefrom.

As above explained each clip must be struck from the strip just prior tobeing driven into efiective position on the pieces that are beingjoined. This requires the operation of a severing tool of some type, andthe operation of such a tool requires an appreciable downward stroke.With the central neck or tab, the eiiective portions of the severingtool are located in such close juxtaposition to the area of operation ofthe other tools, namely, the supporting and bending instrumentalities,as to make it necessary to provide for the stroke of the severing toolas a part of the complete stroke of the machine which drives thesestrips and thereby lengthens the stroke.

An important object of the invention. is to provide a clip which isj-oinedto an adjacent clip in a magazine strip by metal that is so farremoved from the area of operation of the supporting and bendinginstrumentalities as to render the stroke of the severing tool separateand independent from the strokes of the other tools. With thisarrangement it is possible to have the stroke of the severing tooloverlap the strokes of the other instrumentalities.

In the clip of the copending application an opening must be formedadjacent each end of each clip to accommodate the bending tool. Theformation of these openings requires a die for cutting them out.Obviously, the formation of a pair of openings for each clip complicatesthe die construction. A further object of the invention is to provide aclip in which these small openings are eliminated and replaced by asingle large opening that is formed between adjacent clips and therebysimplifies the construction of the die used in forming the clips.

Each of the foregoing objects is attained by providing a plurality ofthe clips in a continuous strip. Each clip is separated from the nextadjacent clip by an enlarged opening extending almost entirely acrossthe width of the strip and which opening, together with smalldepressions coming in from the outer side edges, define narrow neckssubstantially at each side edge which join the adjacent clips. Animportant object of the invention is to provide, in a strip of clips ofthe type indicated, depressed joining necks of the character indicated.With such depressed necks the metal on each side of severance isimparted an initial angle of downward direction so that when the metalis severed, each tab formed bythe severance of the neck has adownwardly"directed point that is adapted to be driven into and becomeembedded in the exposed faces of '4 ency to becoming deformed by theresistance of--- fered by the material into which it is driven.

Another object is to provide, in a strip of clips of the type indicated,means for preventing the clips from nesting, one Within the other, whencoiled into a compact magazine. This object is achieved by forming apair of outwardly extendthe pieces of material being joined. Thus," any.

possibility of creating burrs or jagged points on the severed ends isentirely eliminated.

. With the joining necks located substantially at the opposite sides ofthe clips, the various clips making up a strip are held in accuratealignrrientto facilitate manufacture and handling operations.

.With the large opening between adjacent clips are'cess is provided ateach end of the clip for accommodating the bending tool. Thus, the dieconstruction is simplified. Moreover, with the necks which are to besevered located close to the respective side edges, the metal is severedat locations substantially removed from the area of operation of thesupporting and bending instrumentalities; thereby making it possible toshorten the stroke of the machine for driving the clips, in that thestroke for the metal severirig operation may overlap the stroke of thesupporting instrumentalities.

Another highly important object of the present invention is to provide aclip of the type indicated which includes a leg at each end and each ofjwhich legs comprises spaced struts. It is evident that with the sameamount of metal available for each leg, a leg which comprises spacedstruts will exhibit better structural characteristics than one definedby a single strut of the same amount'of' metal.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in a clip of thetype indicated, a leg which comprises spaced struts which are integrallyjoined at their lower extremities to a pointed tab. ihis taboriginally'assumes a position approaching alignment with the struts andis given a curvaturecorresponding to a segment of a cylinder. lfhat'is,it is curved from side to side to provide a'con'cavo-convex structurefrom its upper free end to the point at the lower end. It is this tabwhich is bent into a position substantially parallel to'the main bodyportion of the clip to Which it is joined by the legs. A tab having 7these structural characteristics presents the advantage of being morerigid and stronger than the corresponding structure in the clip of theaforementioned copending application. Being more rigid, it issusceptible of being bent into its ultimate holding position withdefinite assurance that it will assume its most efilcient holdingposition, namely, that in which it is parallel to the main body portion.

'With a clip including a tab of the type above indicated, a relativelylarger holding area is provided in the tab itself as compared to the tabof the copending application. Furthermore, it makes possible theformation of a sharp point on the tab which facilitates driving.Moreover, the curved upper edge of the tab itself is adapted to bereadily engaged by a single bending tool, thereby making possible thesimplification of the machine for driving the clips. Being more rigidthe tab is, therefore, more resistant to any tending ears on oppositesides of each leg where the "pointed tab is joined thereto.

Various other more detailed objects and adnection with carrying out theabove noted ideas in a practical embodiment will, in part becomeapparent, and in part be hereinafter stated as the description of theinvention proceeds.

The invention, therefore, comprises a continuous strip of clips, each ofwhich is adapted to be driven into pieces of material to be joined.Adjacent clips in the strip are separated by large openings extendingalmost from side to side of the strip with adjacent clips being joinedby depressed necks which when severed provide downwardly pointed tabs.Each clip has a leg at each end assuming a position substantially normalto the main body portion of the clip. Each leg comprises a pair ofspaced struts which are integrally joined at their upper ends to themain body portion of the clip with a pointed tab of concavo-convexformation integrally joined to the lower end of the struts and whichtabs are adapted to be bent into a position substantially parallel tothe main body portion of the clip by an appropriate tool in the drivingmachine which is rendered eifective through the spaces provided by theopenings which separate adjacent clips.

Each leg carries a pair of outwardly extending ears where the tab isjoined thereto to prevent nesting when a strip of the clips iscoiled'into a compact magazine.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention, referencemay be had to the following description and accompanying drawingwherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a clip that is applied to two pieces ofmaterial which are to be joined in accordance with the precepts of thisinvention. In this view the pieces of material are represented by brokenlines.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the clip in holding positionwith the pieces of material represented by broken lines.

-Figure 3 is a top plan view of a portion of a continuous strip at onestage in the manufacturing process.

Figure 4 is a view in side elevation of a clip in condition for driving.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the clip shown in Figure 4; and V Figure6 is a side elevational view illustrating A and B meet along the line Inand as shown in Figure 2 the pieces A and B should have an appreciablethickness.

A clip for joining the pieces A and B is referred to in its entirety bythe ference character C. Obviously, as many of these clips would be;employed as would be necessary to achieve the desired holding eifects.These clips would simply be spaced at appropriate intervals along theseam I0.

Each clip C includes a main body or base portion I l, the underface ofwhich overlies the upper faces of the pieces A and B when the clip is inits final holding position. This main body portion II is of asubstantially rectangular formation with a pointed tang l2 at eachcorner. As is clearly shown in Figures 2 and 4, the pointed tangs 12 aredownwardly directed so that when the clip C is driven they becomeembedded in the material of the pieces A and B. Between the tangs l2 ineach end of the clip a recess I3 is defined.

Upon referring to Figure 3 it will be noted that a plurality of theclips C are joined into a continuous strip S. This arrangement isachieved by initially having the pointed tangs l2 of adjacent clipsjoined by necks l4. These necks M are formed in the following manner:

Openings l5 are struck in the strip S and it will be noted that theopenings I5 at each side have converging side edges l6. A notch I1 isstruck inwardly from the outer side edges of the strip S substantiallyopposite to the points where the side edges 16 meet. Moreover, theforming tool which forms the openings l5 and notches l1 also forms adepression I8 in the upper faces of the necks l4 so that the points I2before severance assume the downward inclination depicted in Figure 4.Thus, when the necks 4 are severed by the severing tool, deflniteassurance is had that the points [2 will be downwardly directed so as tobecome embedded in the material. It is evident that when the necks I4are severed, the identity of the. openings I5 is lost, and a half ofeach opening [5 now takes the form of a recess i3 at a free end of theclip.

Extending downwardly from the main body portion II adjacent to each endof the clip is: a leg that is referred to in its entirety by thereference character L. Each leg L consists essentially of a pair ofstruts l9 and 2B which have their upper ends integrally joined to themain body portion of the clip. This joinder is represented by the areasat 2| in Figure 2 which shows the struts as cut from the strip S butprior to being bent into the positions normal to the main body portionll.

Integrally joined to the lower end of each pair of struts l9 and 20 is apointed tab 22. The areas of the joinder of the tabs 22 to the struts i9and 20 of each leg is indicated at 23. When the tabs 22 are bent fromthe position depicted in Figure 4 to that illustrated in Figure 2, thebending of the metal takes place in these zones 23.

It is important to note that each tab 22 is of a concavo-convexconstruction. That is, it is curved substantially on the segment of acylinder with the shallow depressions opening inwardly, and the bulgebeing directed toward the free end of the clip. In this position theupper edge of each tab 22 such as shown at 24 is adapted to be engagedby a bending tool that comes downwardly through the recess 13. The lowerend of each tab 22 is formed with a sharp point 25 which facilitatespenetration of the material A and B.

Figure 6 shows a plurality of the clips C coiled into a magazine M. Inorder to prevent nest ing such as would interfere with unwinding of thecoil, each leg L has a pair of ears 2! which protrude from the outeredges opposite the zones 23. These .ears are formed by a swedgingoperation that takes place immediately after the legs L are bent fromthe strip as shown in Figure 3. The portions of the metal at the outerside edges of the zones 23 are struck and thereby extruded into the ears21.

While the manner of driving a clip is believed to be evident from thedescription given, it will be noted that the clips C are included in themagazine M in the condition illustrated. In this condition adjacentclips are joined by the un-* severed necks l4, and the legs L assume apo-. sition substantially normal to the main body portion I l. The tabs22 are slightly inclined with respect to the legs H as shown in Figure4;

The free end of the magazine strip is fed tor the driving machine. As aclip comes over the place where it is to be driven, a severing tool inthe machine severs the necks [4 just prior to the time that the legs Land tabs 22 are being driven into the material. During this drivingoperation the struts l9 and 20 are supported by supporting tools whichenter the end corners of the recesses 26, the latter recesses beingformed by the cutting out of the legs L and the tabs 22.

When the machine has driven the clip to the point where the main bodyportion ll engages the faces of the pieces A and B and the points 12become embedded therein, bending tools come down through the recesses l3and engage the upper curved edges 24 of the tabs 22 to bend the latterover the areas 23 into the positions shown in Figure 2 in which they aresubstantially parallel to the main body portion l I.

It may aid in the understanding of this operation to note that thesupporting tools which are located at the endcorners of the recesses 26have their lower ends disposed substantially at the zones 23 when thisbending operation takes place. Thus, the tabs 22 are bent around thelower extremities of these supporting tools as a fulcrum.

While a preferred specific embodiment of the invention is hereinbeforeset forth, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not tobe limited to the exact constructions, mechanisms, and devicesillustrated and described, because various modifications of thesedetails may be provided in putting the inventioninto practice Within thepurview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An integral clip formed from sheet metal comprising a flat baseportion having a pair of spaced outwardly and downwardly extending tangson each end, a leg struck from said base portion adjacent each end andextending substantially perpendicularly downward therefrom at each ofsaid ends between said tangs, a central portion of each of said legsbeing severed upwardly and transversely of said leg adjacent the upperend thereof and bent laterally of said leg to underlie the spacesbetween said tangs whereby the upper ends of said central portions areadapted to be engaged by a tool to bend the central portion of each leginto a position substantially parallel to said base portion.

2. An integral clip formed from sheet metal comprising a flat baseportion having a pair of spaced outwardly and downwardly extending tangson each end, a leg having a pointed lower portion struck from said baseportion adjacent each end and extending substantially perpendicularlydownward therefrom at each of said ends between said tangs, a centralportion of each of said legs being severed upwardly and transversely;-

of'said leg adjacent the upper end thereofand bent laterally of said legto underlie the spaces between said tangs whereby the upper ends of saidcentral portions are adapted to be engaged by a tool to bend the centraland lower portion of each leg into a position substantially parallel tosaid base portion.

3. An integral clip formed from sheet metal comprising a flat baseportion having a pair of spaced outwardly and downwardly extending tangson each end, a leg struck from said base portion adjacent each end andextending substantially perpendicularly downward therefrom at each ofsaid ends between said tangs, a central portion of each of said legsbeing severed upwardly and transversely of said leg adjacent the upperend thereof and deformed into a concaveconvex structure and bentlaterally of said leg to underlie the spaces between said tangs wherebythe upper ends of said concave-convex structures are adapted to beengaged by a tool to bend the central portion of each leg into aposition sub- .stantially parallel to said base portion.

4. An integral clip formed from sheet metal comprising a flat baseportion having a pair of .spaced outwardly and downwardly extendingtangs on each end, a leg having a pointed lower portion struck from saidbase portion adjacent each end and extending substantiallyperpendicularly downward therefrom at each of said ends between saidtangs, a central portion of each of said legs being severed upwardly andtransversely ofsaid leg adjacent the upper end thereof and deformed intoa concavo-convex structure and bent laterally of said leg to underliethe spaces between said tangs whereby the upper ends of said centralportions are adapted to be engaged by a tool to bend the central andlower portion of each leg into a position substantially parallel to saidbase portion.

5. An integral clip formed from sheet metal comprising a flat baseportion having a pair of spaced outwardly and downwardly extending tangson each end, a leg having a pointed lower portion struck from said baseportion adjacent each end and extending substantially perpendicularlydownward therefrom at each of said ends between said tangs, a centralportion of each of said legs being severed upwardly and transversely ofsaid leg adjacent the upper end thereof and bent laterally of said legto underlie the spaces between said tangs whereby the upper ends of saidcentral portions are adapted to be engaged by a tool to bend the centraland lower portion of each leg into a position substantially parallel tosaid base portion, and a pair of cars formed on the outer sides of eachleg at the upper end of said pointed lower portion, said ears serving tolimit penetration of the legs of one clip through the openings in thebase portions of other clips.

6. In combination, a plurality of integral clip-s joined in a continuousstrip with each clip comprising a'flat base portion having a pair ofspaced outwardly and downwardly. extending tangs on each end with thepair of tangs at one end of one clip integrally joined to the pair oftangs at the end of the next adjacent clip, a leg struck from said baseportion adjacent each end and extending substantially perpendicularlydownward therefrom at each of said ends between said tangs, a centralportion of each of said legs being severed upwardly and transversely ofsaid leg adjacent the upper end thereof and bent laterally of said legto under lie the spaces between said tangs whereby the upper ends ofsaid central portions are adapted to be engaged by a tool to bend thecentral portion of each leg into a position substantially parallel tosaid base portion.

7; In combination, a plurality of integral clips joined in a continuousstrip with each clip comprising a flat base portion having a pair ofspaced outwardly and downwardly extending tangs at each end with thepair of tangs at one end of one clip integrally joined to the pair oftangs at the end of the next adjacent clip, a leg structure from saidbase portion adjacent each end and extending substantiallyperpendicularly downward therefrom at each of said ends between saidtangs, a central portion of each of said legs being severed upwardly andtransversely of said leg adjacent the upper end thereof and deformedinto a concavo-convex structure and bent laterally of said leg tounderlie the spaces between said tangs whereby the upper ends of saidconcavo-convex structures are adaptedto be engaged by a tool to bend thecentral portion of each leg into a position substantially parallel tosaid base portion.

' 8. In combination, a plurality of integral clips joined in acontinuous strip with each clip comprising a flat base portion having apair of spaced outwardly and downwardly extending tangs at each end withthe pair of tangs at one end of one clip integrally joined to the pairof tangs at the end-of the next adjacent clip, a leg having a pointedlower portion struck from said base portion'adjacent each end andextending substantially perpendicularly downward therefrom at each ofsaid ends between said tangs, a central portion of each of said legsbeing severed upwardly and transversely of said leg adjacent the upperend thereof and bent laterally of 'said leg to underlie the spacesbetween said tangs whereby the upper ends of said central portions areadapted to be engaged by a tool to bend'the central and lower portion ofeach leg into a position substantially parallel to said base portion,and a pair of cars formed on the:

outer sides of each leg at the upper end of said pointed lower portion,said ears serving to limit penetration of the legs of one clip throughthe openings in the base portions of other clips.

WERNER SCHAFROTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 15,498 Netherlands Dec. 15, 1926

